Clark sworn in, launches core review

Premier Christy Clark took a break from cabinet meetings in Vancouver Tuesday to be sworn in as MLA for Westside-Kelowna.

One of the cabinet’s first tasks is to launch a “core review” of government programs, with a target of reducing overall program spending by $50 million this year. Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett is in charge of the cost-cutting exercise, and is to release terms of reference for it on Wednesday.

Clark has described this core review as different from the one that former premier Gordon Campbell led after the B.C. Liberal Party formed government in 2001. The new review will focus on identifying functions that don’t need to be done by government, and reducing excessive regulation that Clark described as a natural accumulation of all governments over time.

Clark led the B.C. Liberals to a 48-seat majority in the May 14 election, but lost her own seat in Vancouver-Point Grey. Westside-Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart agree to step aside so Clark could run in that seat, which she won handily in a July 10 by-election.